most of which were false. The same applies to Ibn Sab‘īn, and likewise to those who calculated how long this Muslim community would endure through the numerical values of alphabetic letters—a method inherited from the Jews—and through the movements of the heavenly bodies—a method inherited from the Sabians. This was done by Abū Nasr al-Kindī and other philosophers, by some followers of al-Rāzī who wrote on Quranic interpretation, and by some with Shiite leanings who interpreted the experiences of ascetics.

I have encountered groups among their followers who claim that these matters belong to hidden secrets and closely guarded knowledge. I discussed this with several groups of them, swearing to them that it was fabricated falsehood and that none of these things would come to pass. I challenged some of them to join me in invoking Allah’s curse upon whichever of us was lying, because the matter concerned the foundations of religion. They belonged to those who hold that the Creator and creation are one, whose claims would take a long time to describe.

They claimed that their shaykh, whom they regarded as the foremost spiritual knower and ascetic of his age, was the Messiah who would descend. They claimed that this meant the descent of the spiritual essence of Jesus, peace be upon him; that his mother was named Mary; that he would unite the three religions; and that he would appear in a manifestation more perfect than that of Muhammad and the other messengers. They hold views that rank among the gravest abominations, whose enumeration and description would take a long time.

Another astonishing thing is that these theologians, who claim to know the realities of matters of knowledge and religion while opposing the Sunnah and the Muslim community, each cite as evidence whatever hadith they happen to encounter